updated 05:37 am EST, Mon February 17, 2014

Wearable fitness tracker could be purchased for under $100M

Fitness tracker producer Basis Science could be acquired by a major technology company in the near future, according to rumors. A report claims the wearable device manufacturer behind the Basis B1 fitness tracker is in talks with Apple and Google, with a further claim of discussions with Microsoft and Samsung over a possible sale, though not necessarily for a high price.

Sources ofTechCrunch suggest the value of the company is in the "sub-hundred million" dollar range. While a purchase is possible, it is also thought that the company is looking at a round C bout of funding as an alternative to a buy-out.

Basis B1 Carbon Steel Edition

Both Apple and Google are prime candidates to acquire Basis, considering their recent activities. Apple has been hunting for physiologists and other similar roles in what is believed to be a push to create the long-rumored iWatch, with recent hire Marcelo Lamego specializing in non-invasive medical monitoring technologies. Google's wearable technology and smart device ambitions currently extends to the Glass eyewear, though it too is is said to be looking at smart watches. Google also bolstered its hardware teams by purchasing smart thermostat and smoke detector creator Nest for $3.2 billion.

Samsung already offers a smart watch, in the form of the Galaxy Gear, but could buy the company to add more to future iterations of the device. Lastly, Microsoft may want to acquire Basis to use as a stepping stone into wearable device production, in a similar way to its attempt to buy Nokia's Devices and Services arm to become a smartphone manufacturer.

Guess one can see the breadth of innovation at Samsung once it tries to lead. Their smartwatch was limited in features, poorly crafted for ergonomics and design, and health attributes of the wearer were never in their plans. Now that Apple's plans are being leaked, we Samsung's usual M.O. of scrambling to copy true innovation. I hate to sound like some sort of Apple fanboy but the blatant actions of Samsung are too much to accept as "technology leading".